Nationwide Life
Insurance Company recently announced its acquirement of Jefferson National, a supplier of
tax-advantaged investing solutions for registered investment advisers (RIAs),
and fee-based advisers.

According to Jefferson National, the acquisition was made in
an effort to increase Nationwide sales in financial service products, as well
as to expand each organization’s aptitude in serving customers distinctively.

“Partnering
with the Jefferson National team will enable Nationwide to expand our
distribution footprint and meet the needs of investors and retirement savers
who want to do business in a fee-based adviser environment after implementation
of the DOL fiduciary standard,” says Nationwide
CEO Steve Rasmussen. “This will complement our strong brokerage
distribution channel and allow customers to do business with us in the manner
they prefer. This new partnership is mutually beneficial to both Nationwide and
Jefferson National, providing opportunities for growth in ways we couldn’t
achieve individually.”

While terms of
the purchase agreement between the two entities have yet to be disclosed,
Jefferson National announced that Nationwide will be purchasing all of the
company’s stock, resulting in Jefferson National becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of
Nationwide.

The transaction
is expected to close in early 2017.

NEXT: Integrated
Retirement Hires New ERISA Expert

Integrated Retirement Hires New
ERISA Expert

Integrated Retirement, a provider of retirement plan
content and training, has added Todd
Berghuis to its team of Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) experts. As senior ERISA counsel, Berghuis is
tasked with helping clients navigate the increasingly complex regulatory
retirement plan environment.

“We’re
extremely fortunate to have Todd on board,” says Pam O’Rourke, senior vice president at Integrated Retirement. “He’s
highly-regarded in the industry and has been front and center in helping to
shape retirement plan legislation and regulation, including the DOL’s recently
released Conflict of Interest rule. Especially given the current environment,
we’re excited that our clients will be able to benefit from his incredible
wealth of knowledge.”

In
addition to providing technical and compliance support to clients, Berghuis
will be Integrated Retirement’s liaison to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Department of Labor (DOL) and other
governmental entities. He will also continue to serve as chairman of the DOL
Subcommittee of ASPAA’s Government Affairs Committee and to speak about technical
and regulatory issues around the country.

Berghuis
has been an ERISA attorney and consultant in the retirement and financial
services industry for more than 30 years. Prior to joining Integrated
Retirement, Berghuis spent 15 years at Ascensus, serving as senior vice president of ERISA Compliance since 2008.

NEXT: Hatteras Funds Adds
Managing Director of Business Strategy

Hatteras Funds Adds Managing
Director of Business Strategy

Hatteras Funds, a provider of alternative
investment solutions for financial advisers and their clients, announced that Robert Brown has rejoined the firm as managing director of Business Strategy.

“Rob’s
return allows us to better serve our clients and further supports our goal of
providing alternative solutions designed to solve the needs of financial
advisers,” says David Perkins, CEO of
Hatteras Funds. “We are excited to welcome Rob back to the Hatteras family.
Rob brings extensive experience in alternative investments along with a
commitment and dedication to serving financial advisers.”

Rob
will assist with implementing the firm’s strategic vision and will work to
further integrate the sales, marketing, national accounts and investment
management teams at Hatteras. Brown joined Hatteras in 2004 after spending 10
years in various sales, marketing, and national account roles.

He
served with numerous firms including Wilbanks, Smith & Thomas and Highland
Associates. He received his bachelor of art’s degree from Washington & Lee
University and his master’s degree in business administration from the
University of Florida.

“I am
truly happy to re-join Hatteras Funds,” says Brown. “Hatteras was founded to
design alternative solutions which enable financial advisers to better serve
their clients. I am particularly excited by the firm’s renewed commitment in
the area of private investments. This team is motivated by a strong dedication
to serving the adviser community and I look forward to being a part of that
again,” says Brown.

NEXT: MV Financial Fills New
Position

MV Financial Fills New Position

MV Financial, a national asset management
firm servicing retirement plans, has promoted Chris Schaefer to head of
the Retirement Plan Practice Group. Schaefer's appointment comes as MV
Financial expands its retirement practice in response to increased demand from
middle-market clients seeking to broaden their employee benefit programs, while
also minimizing expenses and improving retirement outcomes for their employees.

"Chris
has a strong track record in helping retirement plan sponsors and participants
achieve optimal outcomes," says MV
Financial CEO Masood Vojdani. "We are pleased to have him lead the
retirement practice as we continue to expand regionally and nationally."

Schaefer
will oversee 401(k) plans as well as 403(b), 457(b), and defined benefit (DB)
plans in the private and nonprofit sectors. He will work with the firm's
investment management, portfolio operations, and client services divisions to
provide clients with tailored retirement planning and investment guidance.

The
practice serves government contractors, professional services firms, nonprofit
organizations and trade associations, and has a strong focus on the
Mid-Atlantic and Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

NEXT: TIAA Expands Marketing
Operations

TIAA Expands Marketing
Operations

TIAA Global Asset Management has appointed two new leaders
to its marketing organization. Eleri
Dixon will take over as head of
Global Digital Strategy and Marketing Technology. Meanwhile, Eugene Colter will take on the role of head of Global Investment Communications
and Marketing Strategy.

Dixon
will focus on expanding the firm’s digital strategy, enhancing the client
experience across multiple channels of distribution, and helping to unify the
firm’s marketing technology platforms. Colter is tasked with creating and
leveraging thought leadership content throughout the organization, as well as
leading strategic marketing initiatives and public relations.

With
more than 20 years of financial services experience, Dixon joins TIAA from
Fidelity Investments, where she served as vice president of strategic program
management. Previously, she was vice president of fixed income research at
Lehman Brothers, where she drove the implementation of a Lehman-designed UNIX
trading and sales application for non-dollar options and future products.

Colter
joins the firm from BlackRock, where he served as global head of strategic
messaging. This role allowed him to oversee sales messaging and strategy,
thought leadership, and strategic communications, among other functions. Prior
to BlackRock, he worked on the messaging and content team at PIMCO, where he
led the creation of messaging for new product initiatives and firm-wide
strategies to drive external and internal communications. Colter also spent
nearly 15 years at Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal, where he served as a
reporter and in various editorial roles overseeing teams in the U.S. and the
U.K.

NEXT:Cafaro Greenleaf
Hires New Director of Operations

Cafaro Greenleaf Hires New
Director of Operations

Cafaro Greenleaf (CG), a national advisery firm
for corporate and public retirement plans, has appointed Brian Clark to the newly-created position of managing director of Operations. He will be tasked with leading and
overseeing all firm operations.

"The
addition of this key role at Cafaro Greenleaf reaffirms our commitment to our
valued clients and trusted adviser partners, as we continue to grow, evolve and
lead in this ever-changing industry and regulatory environment,” says Wayne Greenleaf, managing principal of CG.
“We are very excited to welcome Brian Clark to our firm in this important role.
His many years of experience in the retirement sector and his leadership skills
will be a great asset to Cafaro Greenleaf, and our clients, advisers, and staff."

Clark
brings with him more than 28 years of industry experience with focus on group
retirement benefits. He has worked with defined contribution (DC), defined
benefit (DB), and non-qualified plans.

Earlier
in his career, he managed the operational components of one of the largest ever
retirement provider acquisitions. Clark has also held the roles of regional vice president of Client Relations and Business Development for
Prudential, and vice president of Relationship Management at New York Life. His
most recent position was with VOYA Financial. He earned his bachelor’s degree
in marketing from the University of Scranton, and his master’s degree in
management from Marywood University. He holds FINRA Series 6, 26, 63 licenses.

"Cafaro
Greenleaf has built an outstanding reputation as a trusted guide for its
clients with an enduring focus on helping plan sponsors create and administer
plans that prepare their participants to reach their retirement goals,” Clark
says. “I'm honored to join an organization that has long been among the most
highly regarded firms in the industry."

Founded
in 1981, Cafaro Greenleaf is a boutique firm comprised of professional
retirement plan advisers and consultants servicing corporate, public, and
institutional clients.

Envestnet Retirement
Solutions (ERS) has appointed Kelly
Michel as its new chief marketing
Oofficer. She will be tasked with leading the firm’s strategic marketing
initiatives while working closely with sales, client management, and product development
teams throughout the company.

"Kelly will harness the expertise she gained from working
with advisers at recordkeepers and broker-dealers to help us communicate the
benefits of our innovative technology and fiduciary solutions to the retirement
marketplace," says Babu Sivadasan, group president ofERS. "We look forward to
collaborating with her on initiatives to help more service providers and
retirement plan advisers understand how our technology can contribute to better
outcomes for all plan stakeholders."

Michel brings with her 25 years of experience in the
retirement services industry. Prior to joining ERS, she served as executive vice president of Sales and Marketing for Newport Group, and senior vice president and head of Retirement Consulting Services for AIG Advisor Group. She
was also Transamerica senior vice president of Institutional Business Development in addition to several other
roles with the company. Michel began her retirement services career at Empower,
where she spent eight years.

She also holds the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF)
designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies.

"All areas of the retirement services industry are
grappling with compliance challenges due to the new fiduciary standards,"
says Michel. "In today's
rapidly evolving marketplace, ERS's holistic approach to connecting advisers
and recordkeeping service providers enables these parties to deliver
transparency, fiduciary support, and improved overall results for plan sponsors
and participants."

NEXT: LGIMA
Expands U.S. Index Team

LGIMA Expands
U.S. Index Team

Legal
& General Investment Management America
(LGIMA), a registered investment adviser (RIA), has appointed Michael O’Connor to the position of senior portfolio manager for the US Index
team. He will be responsible for managing global equity and fixed income
index portfolios for the team, which currently manages $70 billion in index
strategies, the firm reports.

With more than 17 years of experience in the industry, O’Connor has
served various roles including several that allowed him to manage global index
portfolios. Prior to joining LGIMA, he was head of the international equity
index portfolio management team at Northern Trust Asset Management in Chicago.

“Michael brings immense talent and experience to LGIMA,” says Head of US Index Funds Shaun Murphy. “The
depth and breadth of Michael’s experience across the investment spectrum will
be invaluable to further supporting our clients and driving our truly
differentiated index offering forward.”

LGIMA is a Chicago-based RIA specializing in active fixed income,
liability driven investment (LDI), and index strategies for the U.S.
institutional market. It currently has $134 billion in assets under management
(AUM), the firm says.